knight
by LenaMarie
Summary: Alex Must be disguised as a boy to become a knight for her father...first fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

The bearded man stared at the wiggling bundle in the dim room. He sat with a crease

between his brows until a hand touched his shoulder causing himto jump. The midwife, a

strong and short women, graying from age and hard winters, let her face soften. "she's dead

an this litt'lun be all you have left. Treat her well." she whispered, and left the room.  
Years later, a girl of eight? possibly nine, sat on the steps in front of a

once grand manor. The child's round face reflected the uncertainty and confusion swirling in

in her thoughts. The door behind her opened and the maid beckoned the girl. She stepped in

to the fire lit room timidly. "Yes, father?" The man sighed behind his desk. "sit." he com-

manded. "No doubt you've been wondering what mischief I could have possibly caught you at?"

The girl reddned and immediately began trying to say several things at once. The mans eyes

crinkled in a smile for a split of a second, not un-noticed by the girl, who stopped talking

and her eyes widned in wonder. The man grunted and cleared his laughter from his face. "How

old are you, child?" He waited for his answer. The girl squirmed in the tense atmosphere

before timidly answering "...eight." her voice gained stength as she said "What of it?"

Inwardly the man chuckled at his daughters show of bravado. "just...curious." he said. there

was a pause in the conversation. The man closed his eyes, deep in contemplation and the girl

studied her leather boots annoyed by her reaction to the ackward silence. The man's eyes

whiped open "I trust you are not completely oblivious to the fact that you are the only heir to this estate." he lifted his hand to keep her form replying. "And perhaps you've wondered why youve been dressed as a boy, raised as a boy, and treated as one." She glanced at the door behind herin longing, sensing unpleasent news. Some time later the girl exited her fathers study. She cradled a grey cat that had been weaving through her legs. "I thought for sure cook told him 'bout the worms i let loose, or governess told him about her..." the girls round, thick-lashed eyes closed in amusement and evil glee. "...night-time visitors.  
Her smile was replaced by a confused frown. "but what he did he mean im to be a knight?  
can't only boys be knights?" She looked at the cat, as if expecting an answer. It purred in reply. Shrugging her shoulders, she pushed her fathers strange words from her head and left to go torment the scullery maid.


	2. Chapter 2

2 years later... 

Two figures in the stone cold room, for several minutes they were silent as they hunched over and straightenrd repeatedly. One figure, a young girl, stopped packing and broke the silence.  
"That...that..." The girl stumbled in fury. "selfish, inconsiderate,-". "My lady!" the maid raised her eyebrows to stop the girl from continuing. The girl looked sheepish, yet continued in her defense "Well, honestly, what nerve! Not only is he comitting treason, he's being absolutely ridiculous! A girl! training for knighthood"  
The maid packed more clothes and tried to calm the fuming girl. "He is doing what is best for the manor miss, You know your the only heir" The girl grumbled. "No point in complainin' miss. You can't undo whats been done." The maid said, eyes downcast. The girl stubbornly tried to think of a retort but failed, She sighed in exasperation, and hoplesness. She bit her full lips to keep from crying. She failed and began to sob. "he..he-hic- he's horrible!! I doooon't wan-hic-want to leaaavvee!." The maid abandoned her place and rushed to the girl in comfort. "ohhh shoosh, dearie, hush now," the maid cradled the girl's hair, patting her black locks, making motherly crooning sounds.

Some time later, the very same girl could be found sitting at the edge of a pool of water.  
She stared at the reflection in front of her. Her large, brown eyes filled with tears as she fingered her newly cut hair. It curled softly around her face, cradling it. She stood, and walked away.

With the horses packed, The girl, and a servant left the grounds. The servant was polite, but cold and distant as he relayed her fathers wishes. "Your father says that you will refer to yourself as Alexander, and to forget the name Alexandria." obviously, the girl thought moodily. He continued. "In addition, you are to stay out of trouble..." The servant was toned out as the girl began to contemplate her new life, and the changes that would befall her. "-and keep a civil tongue in your head whilst you-" The girl cut him off with a gasp once she saw the great castle looming closer in the distance. "It's huge..." she said, drawing out the the word in a long exhalation. Once inside the castle's shining gates, palace servants came to take away the horses, luggage, and to give the servant a temporary room to rest before his return journey. A clean shaven middle aged man gestured for the girl to follow. "You will begin as a page, running errands and fetching things for your elders, in addition to being instructed in manners, courtesy, cleanliness, and religion. You will learn basic hunting and falconry, and also valuable battle skills such as the use of weapons and armor and the caring, readying, and riding of horses." He said this all very quickly while walking down a magnificent hall. The girl could barely take it all in as she rushed to keep up with the man. He halted suddenly and turned to face her, "follow that maid there and she will take you to your new residence" With a sniff, he retreated speedily down the hall.

The young girl turned to the maid with wide eyes, "don't look at me like that young sir, you will live." the servant huffed.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to my first reviewer Zwidon, and i don't own anything of Tamora Pierce's (which i am noticing my story is following similar lines [but it will be different, i promise, girl in disguise as a boy to be a knight...etc. 

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Alexandria, now Alex, followed the maid's swinging hips down the hallway, and nearly ran into her when she stopped suddenly. "Here's yer room, don't need a lock cus there ain't nuthin to hide. Yer in charge of yer own cleanliness and the other boys're headin to the court yard now to get their introduction." she said while picking up a bag full of what looked to be clothes from in front of a door. "Best be off now." she said as she glanced back from gathering the other bags. Alex stared after her. "what?" she blinked, but the maid had already disappeared down the hallway. Alex began to walk in the direction that the bustling maid left, when she was hit from the side by a moving object. "ouch!" yelped the moving object, now revealing itself to be a boy of about twelve or thirteen. The boy looked Alex over, as if he was inspecting a fruit to see if it was edible. He nodded "you'll do. I just came not ten minutes passed, and i have no bloody idea where the court yard is. I don't suppose you'll know where it is?" Alex raised her brows, he had said this in one breath.

"Nope, no clue, but I was going to go look for it just now before a giant clumsy elephant knocked me down." when she finished, the boy's eyes grew wide and he turned to look behind him in search of an elephant. Alex suppressed a giggle "Never mind, come on, if we don't find the practice courts, surely well find the kitchens. I'm starved". She decided she liked this boy, perhaps, she thought, this place won't be to bad. The two started off down the hallway.

"So, whats you're name anyhow?" the boy asked as they continued their search. Alex looked him up and down and up again once more for good measure. He had straight black hair, and was of average height and width. Alex narrowed her eyes jokingly. "How do i know I can trust you? You might be a Salaren spy for I know." He gasped, then puffed out his chest. "I'm Charles of Lagesdon I'll have you know! And haw do I know if you aren't a Salaren spy eh?" Alex stifled another giggle and rolled her eyes disbelievingly. "Riiiight, i suppose I'll have to trust you if we ever want to get out of here. I'm Alex. Oohh! I smell baking bread!" Charles wrinkled his nose "I don't smell nothing...". Alex gave an exaggerated sigh. "It's a gir-boys intuition.". She sped her walking and bit her lip at her near slip. "intu-wha?" said Charles, but they had reached a wide doorway revealing dozens of cooks with their flower-dusted aprons carrying bread, bags of ingredients and other things. Alex walked in, leaving Charles at the doorway, and grabbed a few freshly baked loaves off the counter and walked backed to a shocked Charles. "Won't they be mad?" He questioned "course not...they...mmf...have enough bread there to feed four thousand high nobles. That ... be the size of of a ...a hippopopumus." Alex said while chewing. Charles giggled nervously and at a safe distance from the kitchens made a grab for a bun. The two continued in their search for the court yard.


	4. Chapter 4

I'd like to apolagize ahead of time for the short chappy, but i'm gonna be on a 16 hour plane flight to NZ here pretty soon, so there'll be a toon of chappy's up soon.

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Alex and Charles Walked out into the court yard after devouring the last pieces of bread. Boys of different size and age gathered around a strongly built young man with round laughing eyes. Alex pushed Charles to keep him moving, then nudged a pale boy of about 13 to ask what was said in their absence. "He's the training master and, well he's mostly been dronin on 'bout the work we'll be doing. Funny chap though, seems to get this mad glint in his eye like he's anticipatin it. Oh! And he said we're to call him "Sir" or he'll chop off our manhood" he whispered with wide eyes. Several of the boys nearby gulped and crossed their legs. Alex returned her attention back to Sir. "...Training begins tomorrow at dawn, and if your arse isn't up and present, you'll have me to answer to" He grinned and several boy's gulped again. "For now, got to your rooms and change for dinner. DON'T...be late" with one last wicked grin, he left.


End file.
